Testing-fee prohibition shot down in legislature

RICHMOND — Local legislators have agreed to kill a bill that would have eliminated student fees as part of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate testing requirements in Virginia schools.

House Bill 2082, proposed by Del. Kaye Kory (D-Fairfax), would have prohibited local school boards from charging students to take AP and IB tests if the tests were also required for course credit.

“In my mind, that’s the same as charging (for enrollment) in the course,” Kory said. “That’s a violation of the Commonwealth of Virginia Constitution and that gets into separate but equal education. It is extremely discriminatory to charge students to take an advanced course.”

In a vote Jan. 20 the House education subcommittee on teachers and administrative action ruled to pass by the bill indefinitely. Culpeper’s legislators also had qualms about the bill in light of the tight state and local budgets.

 “With the current budget difficulties … and the very limited opportunities we give locally elected school boards to raise revenue, I think this bill needs to be looked at very carefully,” Del. Ed. Scott, R-Culpeper said. “It’s something we have to be careful about — the state giving an authority and then taking it back away from locally elected school boards who are accountable to the voters.”

Sen. R. Edward Houck, D-Culpeper, expressed similar concerns.

“The way the bill struck me, it seems it would inhibit students from participating (in advanced courses) unless the schools can find the funding,” Houck said. “This is the reality of how bad this economy has hit everyone.”

Kory argued that school systems could simply not require the tests if they didn’t have enough money to cover the fees.

“AP and IB courses are the ones you get college credit for,” she said. “If you have to pay to take them, a whole group of students are automatically excluded from getting college credit. If you don’t require the test and don’t charge for it, then a lot more students will take (advanced) courses. That’s how it should be. (Advanced) courses should be as open as any other course.”

Scott said that in light of the tight budgets it was important to try not to tie the hands of local school systems.

“I think the General Assembly generally is sympathetic that we’re not the only ones making tough budget decisions right now,” he said. “Even though (something) may be a priority for us, we need to give the local school systems whatever flexibility we reasonably can.”